Aviation Blog

September 11, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical Certificate with VA Disability Benefits

Since Summer 2022, there has been significant attention given to airmen trying to get a FAA medical certificate with VA disability benefits. As we have written about many times in various forums, the FAA initiated a “special project” whereby the agency started to contact airmen who had not previously reported their receipt of VA disability benefits […]

August 30, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA ADHD Fast Track

On August 30, 2023, the FAA published guidelines for what is being called the FAA ADHD Fast Track. The FAA ADHD Fast Track appears to be an effort by the agency to limit the requirement for neuropsychological testing for some applicants with a history of ADHD and treatment with ADHD medication. The scope of these new […]

August 13, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical with a History of Adjustment Disorder

Getting your FAA medical with a history of Adjustment Disorder is not impossible. As with all mental health conditions, the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) will assess whether your history of Adjustment Disorder presents a risk for recurrent symptoms. In other words, the FAA will want to know if they issue you a medical certificate today, […]

August 11, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical Following Deep Vein Thrombosis

Are you trying to get your FAA medical following Deep Vein Thrombosis (“DVT”)? A recent history of Deep Vein Thrombosis will require a special issuance authorization by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) in order for you to be issued an airman medical certificate. A special issuance authorization essentially works as a waiver and is a […]

August 10, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Color Vision Standards

FAA color vision standards can be quite confusing for airmen trying to get an airman medical certificate. If an airman does not meet the FAA color vision standards, the airman’s medical certificate may not be valid for night flying or operation by color signal control. Having an airman medical certificate restricted to not being valid […]

July 1, 2023 | Pilot Law

Reconciling VA Disability Benefits on FAA Medical Applications

There are a lot of questions these days about reconciling VA disability benefits on FAA medical applications. If you have failed to identify your receipt of disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”) on your application(s) for FAA medical certification, Form 8500-8, how should you fix this error? There have been many theories […]

June 23, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical Certificate on Wellbutrin

Obtaining your FAA medical certificate on Wellbutrin is finally an option! Our firm has worked with many airmen using Wellbutrin, which was previously an aeromedically disqualifying medication for the FAA. Unfortunately, because Wellbutrin has been a disqualifying medication, the only option available to these airmen was to discontinue use of the medication or transition to […]

April 24, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical and VA Disability Reconciliation

Do you have questions about your FAA medical and VA disability reconciliation? The FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine has started sending military veterans who are receiving VA disability benefits, letters offering “reconciliation” of potentially false answers to Form 8500-8, application for airman medical certificate. Essentially, these “reconciliation letters” are offering airmen who meet certain, unidentified […]

April 15, 2023 | Pilot Law

Comments on Reddit About FAA Medical

There are a lot of comments on Reddit about FAA medical certification. Thanks to the internet, you have better access to the unsolicited opinions and experiences of your fellow aviators. As an example, you are reading this article – another unsolicited opinion. What is unfortunate, however, is when an airman judges his or her situation […]

April 13, 2023 | Pilot Law

FAA Medical Denial for “Substance Abuse”

Trying to understand your FAA medical denial for “substance abuse?” It is important to know that the standard for “substance abuse,” as that term is defined by the FAA, is different than the standard utilized in clinical, “real world” medicine. In other words, your regular doctor or psychiatrist may find that you do not have […]